Pivotally mounted crane boom cart



Feb. 27, `1968 A. G. REAPSUMMER 3,370,717

Y. TPIVTALLY MOUNTED CRANE BOOM CART 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed 001'.. 29, 1965 .mvEN'ToR ALFRED s. REAPsuvmER Feb. 27, 1968 A. G. REAPSUMMER 3,370,717

PIVOTALLY MOUNTED CRANE BOOM CART 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 29, 1965 INVENTOR ALFRED G'. REAPSUMMER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,370,717 PIVGTALLY MOUNTED CRANE BOOM CART Alfred G. Reapsummer, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., assiguor to Vincent M. Gilliam, Shaker Heights, Ohio Filed Oct. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 565,696 8 Claims. (Cl. 212-59) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Structure for supporting a foldable boom at its terminal working end during folding operations. A boom cart for supporting a rotatable Wheel is adapted to be secured to the terminal working end of the outboard boom section of the foldable boom. The rotatable wheel can be pivoted to a plurality of preselected positions about the terminal working end of the boom for supporting the boom during folding operations.

This invention relates in general to improved devices to facilitate folding of a two-piece crane boom and ymore particularly to a crane boom cart adapted to be attached to the end of a boom and support the boom during foldmg.

It has become increasingly important in the building industry to provide cranes mounted on a prime mover to mobilize the crane for transportation from one job site to another. Such mobile cranes ordinarily comprise a truck body supporting a revolving superstructure containing the power machinery and controls used to operate a boom hoist cable and load hoisting cables. The versatility of mobile cranes is principally limited by the size of the Iboom. This is a serious shortcoming since booms of greater length are coming more into demand in modern construction.

When cranes with long booms are needed, it is desirable to use foldable booms capable of being folded at the job site and which will be ready for transit without the inconvenience and delay in removing boom structure from the crane superstructure. The present invention provides a Iboom cart which facilitates the folding and reassembling of a crane boom by reducing the time, effort and expense required to dissassemble and reconstruct foldable booms.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an improved boom cart designed for attachment to the terminal end of a foldable boom permitting the boom to be more readily folded.

Another object of this invention is to provide`a novel boom cart pivotally attachable to the terminal end of a foldable -boom making it unnecessary to change the size of support wheels to match the size of the boom employed.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a foldable boom having on its terminal Working end a pivotable and readily detachable boom cart which can be removed at the job site in order to reduce loading on the boom during use.

'I'hese and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description presented with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a pivotal boom cart and the terminal working end of a foldable boom;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the boom and boom cart shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a handle for rotating the boom cart from one indexing position to another;

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FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side view similar to FIG- URE 1, illustrating the boom cart in operative engagement with and extending longitudinally from the boom in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view showing a portion of the Iboom and attached boom cart pivoted to a second preselected indexing position utilized when the boom is being folded;

FIGURE `6 is a side elevational view of a crane with the boom cart attached as shown in FIGURE 4 and illustrating the position of the boom cart relative to the boom when the latter is in a fully extended position;

FIGURE 7 shows the crane of FIGURE 6 during folding with the outboard section of the boom being pivoted downwardly relative to the iuboard boom section;

FIGURE 8 shows the crane of FIGURE 6 in another position during folding with the boom cart in an index position displaced from the longitudinal axis of the outboard boom section;

FIGURE 9 shows the crane of FIGURE 6 with the boom in a completely folded position with the boom cart supporting the boom; and

FIGURE l0 shows the crane of FIGURE 9 with the boom and attached boom cart raised for transport.

The terminal end of the outboard yboom section is shown generally at 1 in FIGURE 1. Both sides of the boom and boom cart described are identical and description of one will sumce for the other. Aixed between sides 3 of the outboard boom section 1 is an axle or drum 7 upon which the sheaths 9 turn during operation of the crane when the hoisting cables are in engagement with and slide thereover. Welded or otherwise axed to each of sides 3 and lateral to the longitudinal axis thereof are a pair of indexing plates 11 having aligned holes 15 therein. Also athxed to each edge of the sides 3 and extending downwardly therefrom on the edge of the boom opposite indexing plates 11 are indexing plates 19 having aligned holes 23 therein.

Another pair of plates 25, provided at the tip of the crane (shown here in FIGURES 1 and 2), are secured to the sides 3 of boom section 1 with an overlapping load bearing plate 27 and bolts 29 exending therethrough. Plates 25 have holes therein in which is journalled end 31 of axle 7 -upon which the sheaths 9 are mounted. Additional bearing surfaces 33 are provided in each of the parallel plates 25. Bearing surfaces 37 are provided in studs 35 which are welded to each of the sides 39 of the boom cart which is generally indicated at 43.

In order to pivotally connect cart 43 to the boom as shown in FIGURE 4, the ends of the cart are brought into engagement with the boom in a position whereby the bearing surfaces 33 and 37 are in alignment. Journalled within bearing surfaces 33 and 37 are bearing pins 45 having aiixed, at the outer end thereof, apertured positioning brackets 47 which are attached to plates 25 by bolts 49 inserted through the apertures 51.

Pins 45 form the axis of rotation about which the boom cart 43 pivots when it is rotated from a first preselected position to a second preselected position. Apertured plates 53 Welded at the lower edges of each side 39 of the cart have a hole 55 therein through which the L-shaped stabilizer bai 57 (FIGURE 3) is inserted to x the cart in one position on the axis of rotation thereof. For example when the cart is in a position aligned with the longitudinal axis of the boom, holes 55 are aligned with holes 23 and bar 57 is positioned therein. A pair of similar apertured index plates 59, welded to each side 39 of the boom, have an apertured portion thereof extending above the side of the cart on the edge opposite plates 53. The apertures 61 in plates 59 are positioned a radial distance from the bearing pins 45 equal to the radial distance of the holes 15 in plates 11 therefrom.

To rotate the cart from a lirst preselected indexing position, extending along the longitudinal axis of the crane boom (FIGS. 4, 6 and 7), to a second preselected indexing position at an oblique angle thereto (FIGS. and 840), stabilizer bar 57 is removed from the holes ,23 and 55. The cart is then rotated until holes in plate 11 are aligned with hole 61 in plate 59, whereupon the Y bar 57 is inserted therethrough.V To aid in rotating the cart in the above-described manner, a pair of handles 63 are attached to sides 39 of the car. The cart as shown in FIGURE 2 comprises a frame having sides 39 VWelded or bolted to cross bracing members 65 and end members 69. Mounted on the circular ends 72 of axle bar `71 which is secured to the cart are rotatable `rubber tired wheels 73.

In the embodiment illustrated, a cart having a pair of wheels is shown. However, it is also contemplated within the scope of the invention to use a pivotable boom cart having a single rotatable Wheel or other means adapted to ride on the ground surface when the boom is being folded. Such a single wheeled cart would similarly be capable of pivoting about the tip of the vboom from a first indexing position to a second indexing position displaced from the'longitudinal axis of the boom. It is also necessary that'the cart or other support means `be of a length such that it will elevate all portions of the boom above the horizontal surface on which the crane is sitting during the operation of collapsing the boom.

The support means for the end of the boom, embodied here as a pivotable boom cart, cooperates with mounting means for selectively mounting the support means on the end ofthe boom in a plurality of positions. The .mounting means comprises journal means to pivotally connect means.

During the normal operation of collapsing the boom with the boom cart of the present invention attached thereto, the inboard section .of the boom is raised .by a prime mover and hoisting cable 75 connected'therewith which is on the mobile crane shown generally as 74. The outboard ksection 1 of the boom is folded by means of hinge 77 about the inboard section 75 of the boom, as in FIGURE 7. After the outboard section of the boom has swung to a vertical position, the boom cart is rotated from a position aligned with the longitudinal axis of the boom to an angled position as shown in FIGURE 8.

The cart is rotated from the axially aligned position to the angled position by simply Aremoving .bar 57 from the holes 23, 55, rotating the cart with the aid of handles 63,

and reinserting bar 57 into holes l5, 61 to stabilize theV cart inthe new preselected index position. The outboard boom section 1 is then folded under inboard .boom section 75, as in FIGURE 9, at which position the boom members are in contact preventing further folding. When the inboard .boom section 75 is in contact with the end rests on outboard .boom section 1, all portions of the boom are elevated as shown in FIGURE l0 for transport. In this operation, a coupling member 79 interconnects the inboard and outboard boom sections and the connected boom sections are .then rotated upwardly by cable 79 to raise the boom cart above the ground.

vThe boom cart ofthe present invention because of the pivotal features described can be used with any size boom without changing the size of the support Wheels. The cart is readily removable to reduce the work load when using the crane .and while attached,'is readily stowed out of contact with the ground during transport.

The appended claims deiine the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a mobile crane, a foldable boom comprising an inboard boom section pivotally connected to ,an Voutboard boom section having a terminal working end, the boom being foldable in a substantially vertical plane to diminish the longitudinal length of the boom, supporting means for the Working end of the boom, mounting means for selectively mounting the sup- 2. In combination with a mobile crane, a foldable boom Y comprising an inboard boom section pivotally connected to an outboard boom section having a terminal working end, the boom being yfoldable in a substantially verticalY plane to diminish the longitudinal length ofthe boom, supporting means for the Working end ofthe boom, mounting means for selectively mounting the supporting `means on the end of the boom in one of two preselected index positions` with the supporting means being coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the outboard boom in one of the index positions, and the supporting means being spaced from and at an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the outboard boom in the folding plane of the boom in the other of the index positions. 7

3. In combination with a mobile crane positioned on a plane of rest, a foldable boom comprising an inboard boom section pivotally connected to an outboard boom section having a terminal WorkingV end, the boom 'being foldable in a substantially vertical plane to diminish 'the longitudinal length of the boom, supporting means for the working end of the boom, mounting means pivotally connecting the supporting means on the working end of the boom in one of two preselected index positions with the supporting means being coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the outboard boom in one of the positions and the supporting means being rotatablerto an angle oblique to the longitudinal axis of the outboard boom and spaced therefrom in the folding'plane of the boom a distance such that all portions of the boom willrlbe elevated above the plane of rest when the boom is being folded.

4. In combination with a mobile crane positioned on a plane of rest, a foldable boom comprising an inboard Vboom section pivotally connected to an outboard boom section having a terminal working end, the boom being foldable in a substantially vertical plane to .diminish .the

longitudinal length of the boom, an elongated supporting means for the working end of the boom, the supporting means being attachable to the working end of the .boom Y at its one end Vand having a Wheel 'at its other kend along Vthe extension of the longitudinal axis thereof, mounting means pivotally connecting the supporting means on `the working end of the boom in one of two preselected index positions with the supporting means being coextensive with therlongitudinal axis of the outboard boom inone of the index positions and the supporting means being rotatable to an angle obliqueto the longitudinal axisjof the outboard boom and spaced therefrom in the folding -plane of the boom in the other of the positions a distance such that all portions of the boom will be elevated above the plane of rest when theboom "is being folded.

5. The apparatus det/ined by claim 4 wherein the YWheel on the boom cart when it is in the other position isspaced from the longitudinal axis of the outboard 'boom inthe i folding plane thereof a distance which will bring the inboom section Vpivotally connected to an outboard hoorn section having a terminal working end, the boomrbeingV foldable in a substantially vertical plane to diminish the longitudinal length of the boom, an elongated boom cart having a wheel positioned on one of its two longitudinal ends, the other longitudinal end of the boom cart and Working end of the outboard boom having bearing surfaces for supporting a bearing pin to permit the boom cart to rotate about the end of the outboard boom section, a first pair of apertured index plates on the boom and boom cart which will cooperate to lock the boom and attached cart in a rst index position, a stabilizer bar for insertion in the first apertured plates thereby to stabilize the same against angular motion, a second pair of apertured index plates on the boom and boom cart which cooperate to lock the cart in a second index position, the first index position aligning the cart in a position coextensive with the longitudinal axis of the boom in the folding plane thereof.

7. Crane structure comprising a foldable boom having an nboard boom section foldably connected to an outboard boom section having a erminal Working end, the boom being foldable in a vertical plane to diminish the longitudinal length of the boom, support means for the terminal working end of the boom, the support means including rotatable Wheel means, mounting means for the support means, the mounting means being secured to the terminal Worldng end of the outboard boom section and including pivotal means for selectively positioning the rotatable Wheel means in said vertical plane about the terminal Working end of the outboard boom section in a plurality of preselected positions for supporting the foldable boom at the terminal Working end of the outboard boom section during folding operations.

S. Boom cart structure for supporting a foldable crane boom during folding operations, the crane boom having an inboard boom section connected to an outboard boom section having a terminal Working end and being foldable in a vertical piane to diminish the longitudinal length of the crane boom, the boom cart structure comprising mounting means adapted to be secured to the terminal working end of the outboard boom section, frame means supporting a rotatable wheel, the frame means being pivotally secured to the mounting means, and means for locking frame means supporting the rotatable Wheel in a plurality of preselected positions in said vertical plane about the terminal working end of the outboard boom section to provide support for the foldable boom at the terminal Working end of the outboard boom section during folding operations.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,306,470 2/1967 Green et al. 212-144 2,529,454 11/ 1950 Marcantonio 212-144 FOREIGN PATENTS 996,674 6/1965 Great Britain. 1,650,366 9/1953 France.

384,170 1/ 1965 Switzerland.

ANDRES H. NLLSEN, Primary Examiner. 

